When Apple announced CarPlay, they revealed a handful of car manufacturers that would be officially supporting the platform upon its release, but what about older car models and cars not of those brands listed on Apple’s website? We’re sure the last thing Apple wants is to shun other companies, but in the meantime both Alpine and Pioneer have since come forward and announced their plans for aftermarket CarPlay installations.
Apple’s website has since been updated and has seen both Alpine and Pioneer’s logo added to the CarPlay page, meaning that for those worried that these aftermarket solutions are not official, you can rest assured that Apple has given both Alpine and Pioneer their blessings. Both companies have recently announced that they will be bringing aftermarket solutions to older cars and brands that aren’t officially supported by Apple yet.
CarPlay support will be added through firmware updates to their existing infotainment units, but for drivers who do not have Pioneer or Alpine’s systems in their cars yet, they will be able to purchase those units where they are expected be priced between $700-$1,400 for Pioneer’s NEX series (not to be confused with Sony’s NEX series of cameras) and $500-$700 for Alpine’s systems.
Mercedes-Benz has been announced as one of the official car manufacturers to offer CarPlay systems in their future vehicles, but the car company has also stated that they are looking into offering an aftermarket solution towards the end of the year, although apart from that statement we’re not sure what Mercedes-Benz’s solution might look like. Either way if you have an older vehicle, these are aftermarket solutions you can look forward to.
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